Grow
Chives
Chives are the most versatile of herbs. They’ll grow in just about any climate and, with their upright leaves, can fit themselves into quite compact spots. For example, chives make a tidy edging along garden beds.
Onion chives are the most popular. Their 30cm-tall clumps of narrow, tubular leaves die back during winter in cold climates and re-shoot in spring. In warmer climates, they stay in full leaf all year round.
The purple flower heads of onion chives not only look attractive in the garden, they can be picked and used as a garnish or for adding colour to a salad. But it’s the leaves, with their gentle onion flavour, that are most widely used. They’re an ideal solution for anyone who finds the taste of bulb-forming onions too strong.
Garlic chives have a slightly broader, flatter leaf. They grow a bit taller and have white, rather than purple, flowers. Their flavour is said to be more garlicky, although this difference is so subtle it can be hard to detect.
Another chives option is the chives look-alike, society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea). Its leaves are said to have a garlic taste that doesn’t cause offensive breath odours, hence the ‘society’ in its common name.
Chives are reputed to stimulate the appetite and help in the digestion of fatty foods. They’re rich in iron and it’s claimed they can lower blood pressure. Chives ‘tea’ produces a spray that repels aphids and controls some fungal diseases in the garden. The spray is easy to make: just pour boiling water over chopped chives (approximately 1 cup to 1 litre), allow to cool and use on the same day.
Growing new chives
Chives grow readily from seed. While it’s still a little early in most parts to sow them in the open garden, they can be started off in pots now and kept in a warm, sheltered spot (even on an indoor windowsill) until the end of the cold weather. They can then be transplanted into the garden or outdoor pots. Yates has both varieties – traditional and garlic – in its seed range and both packets recommend planting chives with fruit trees and roses to keep pests away.
Another way of propagating chives is to divide the established clumps into smaller sections and re-plant these in the garden. Chives flourish in pots, which means you can have some growing right outside the kitchen door.
Before planting, dig some Dynamic Lifter pellets into the soil and feed every few weeks through the growing season with nitrogen-rich Thrive Soluble All Purpose Plant Food. Control thrips and mites with Yates non-toxic Natrasoap, and snails and slugs by sprinkling Blitzem or Baysol pellets.
Comments (12)
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This area is for general comments from the Yates Garden Club community. Questions posted here will not receive a reply from Yates. For specific gardening advice visit Ask an Expert
Jenny
Yates site member
08:48, 07 July 2010
Two years ago my garlic chives were covered in little black bugs. I tried every natural solution I could find, but nothing worked. Eventually I had to kill them by hand by squashing each leaf. Now they are back on both my garlic and onion chives. What are they and how do I get rid of them without using poisonous solutions?
David
Yates site member
09:51, 07 July 2010
I don't know what they are Jenny, but I have the same problem in my garden in Adelaide.
irene
Yates site member
08:51, 07 July 2010
we grow red and brown onions peas yates of cause
Alison
Yates site member
09:19, 07 July 2010
Any clues to keeping possums out of the garden apart from covering with a cage?
jacquie
Yates site member
10:28, 07 July 2010
I have the same problem with the black bugs and chives. I grow chives around the base of all my roses it keeps the aphid numbers down but the black bugs keep my chive numbers down too. Help.
Yvette
Yates site member
11:12, 07 July 2010
I didn't realize the flowering chives in the garden could be used in culinary dishes, can all the ornamental ones be used??
Margaret
Yates site member
11:27, 07 July 2010
My garlic chives have lilac coloured flower. never had any bugs on them, but live in western Sydney, does that make a difference?
Margaret
Yates site member
11:32, 07 July 2010
About the possums in garden, try hanging some old DVD'S OR CD'S around the garden and a solar light to shine on them at night, this worked in my lemon tree.
Jillian
Yates site member
12:31, 07 July 2010
To get rid of the insects on the chives try a light spray of Dishwashing liquid (mild formula) the Green Earth One is good with warm water
Anne
Yates site member
14:48, 07 July 2010
for Jenny re bugs on chives (onion + garlic ) I have had that occur and a friend advised pouring water to which a small dash of wash up liquid was added over the leaves.I had to do that twice before it worked both varieties died down( thought I had killed them) but they came back in the spring ok .Hope this helps
RAQUEL
Yates site member
22:49, 07 July 2010
i am having problems with the moths eating my green leaf vegies any suggestions ive tried natural bug repellars that are safe but the moths are out in force they are also eating alot of the leaves of my plants aswell
Jocelyn
Yates site member
15:36, 10 July 2010
I have a maple tree about 10 years old, three months ago it started to look unhappy, leaves and branches fell off and half of the branches became dry up, I had tried to prune off the old branches and as well as to make such the water drainage in the root is alright, (I want to put some dynamic lifter into it, I am afraid it may be killed.) I also though it may be caused by the trees (they are next to my maple tree) from my neighbour which have been overgrow and conquer my poor maple tree. It doest help now it looks like I have a bold maple tree this winter. Can someone help??
Meseret
Yates site member
20:55, 18 September 2010
I get some problem in my chives farm that is when I cut the chives near to the soil it causes rot can you tell me the reason?
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